A weekend of activities at the boatbuilding facility marked the completion of the new bright green and white hulled racing yacht.

The race boat was christened illbruck by Christiane Illbruck, wife of illbruck GmbH founder, Willi Illbruck. The naming of the boat was celebrated at an evening corporate function with the race crew and the boatbuilding team at the boatbuilding facility.

"This is a significant milestone in our Volvo Ocean Race campaign," said Michael Illbruck during the weekend christening activities. "It's a special moment for the crew, the boat builders and our employees. We have been waiting for this since 1997 when we first decided to take on this challenge. The design team, the race crew and the boatbuilders have dedicated so much to developing a competitive boat. We all look forward to illbruck's maiden voyage next month," Illbruck said.

"The race crew will spend most of the next year living and racing on board this boat, said skipper John Kostecki. "We will experience all sorts of weather conditions in seas spanning the globe. "On board this boat our race crew will competing to win the world's premier ocean race. Together we will face situations that will test not only our skill, but our spirit. This crew is ready for the job and now we have the boat to do it. Killian Bushe and his team have delivered and now it's our turn."

The new race boat is a Farr Yacht Design. Killian Bushe, boat construction manager for the illbruck Challenge, built the boat with an international team of expert boatbuilders. Construction began in late September 2000.

The new race boat will be shipped to Charleston later in April where the team will launch illbruck and tune it up against the winner of the last Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race), the former EF Language.

The team will optimize the boat and train on the East Coast of the U.S. In July, the team will sail across the Atlantic to compete in the Fastnet Race in England and make final preparations for the start of the Volvo Ocean Race September 23 in Southampton.

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.